There is enormous opportunity for learning, collaboration, and investment between the manufacturing and technology communities to accelerate innovative solutions and product development in the coming decade. Industry leaders agree that every part of the manufacturing value chain will be transformed by technology — R&D, the supply chain, factory operations, sales, and service. Digital connectivity among designers, managers, workers, customers, and physical industrial assets will unlock enormous value and change the manufacturing landscape. AMT spoke to leaders and innovators throughout the manufacturing and technology ecosystems to get their perspectives on transformative technologies and where they see the key opportunities and challenges in the coming decade.
Manufacturing was the first major industry to really embrace what we today call cognitive automation. This was with the advent of robotics in the automotive industry in the ‘80s. Ultimately, it did not advance as quickly in other industries with less capital to invest. “A critical component of CA was cost prohibitive: rapid computing power and the ability to harness a sufficient volume of data,” said Tim Kulp, Vice President of Innovation & Strategy, Mind Over Machines.